That the seamen of the British navy are as humane as they are brave we
have numberless examples to prove. The following is one of numerous
instances in which they have risked and often sacrificed their lives for
the good of others, and should on no account be passed over.
As one of the boats of HMS _Ganges_, forming part of the British fleet
in the Piraeus, with Lieutentant Breen, Mr Chatfield, midshipman, and
16 men, was returning from the shore, laden with water, she was swamped
and turned over just half-way between the _Queen_ and the east point of
the island of Lypso.
Mr Breen, Mr Chatfield, and most of the men, immediately struck out
for the island, and reached it. The gale increased, and the cold became
so intense that their clothes were frozen stiff upon them. In the
morning they could see the fleet, but were unable to draw attention to
themselves by the signals they were making. One of the men suffered so
much from the cold that Lieutenant Breen generously stripped off his
coat and put it on him. As the day closed, most of the men retired into
a cave; but Mr Breen separated himself from the others, and was no more
seen. On board the _Ganges_ it was thought that they had not put off
from shore; but next night it was known that they had set out, and a
boat was sent to search. As she was passing by Lypso at dawn on the
third day, the wrecked boat was accidentally descried on the beach. Mr
Chatfield and half a dozen men were found in the cave in a torpid state;
Mr Breen was found dead, crouched under a bush, and ten seamen were
missing. There is little doubt that poor Mr Breen lost his life from
his generous act in favour of the suffering seamen. The survivors found
in the cave all recovered.